American Speakeasies in Canada? Perhaps. One Solution in Response to That Country’s Ban on U.S. Booze

In response to Trump’s tariffs, Canada is pulling an economic gut punch — or perhaps liver punch — on the U.S. economy by banning the sale of American alcohol.

So far, no one has opened a speakeasy to sell American booze, but if there is an enterprising Al Capone clone up north, anything is possible.

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Mike Brisebois, who runs a digital magazine called The Whisky Explorer, held a tasting in June where he served only Canadian, Irish and Scotch whiskies — on the recommendation of his guests. “The general theme was that they were boycotting the U.S.,” he said.

The Wall Street Journal reports that not only have alcohol imports in Canada waned, but also already-existing bottles of Yankee booze are locked away in warehouses and not being sold in liquor stores or bars.

In the first six months of 2025, imports to Canada of hard liquors, beer and wine have fallen close to two-thirds, according to the Distilled Spirits Council and the Wine Institute.

In response, Trump administration negotiators have dubbed Canada “mean and nasty to deal with,” according to U.S. Ambassador to Canada Pete Hoekstra.